Anima Gemella
by evil.vixen
Summary: For millennia he had ruled, unrelenting and cruel. All whom he had faced in battle had been decimated and those who remained feared and revered him - the Devil himself. Unmated and without any memory of his human life, he had no loyalties beyond his coven. When his memories start seeping back, will he put together the pieces in time to find his soul mate before it is too late? AU


**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **I'm just playing around with some ideas in my head that simply won't go away until I write them down. I love the Caius/ Bella pairing and am exploring it more in this fic. Please review if you like – it will encourage me to update more frequently!**

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 **Prologue**

 **1300 BC**

He walked briskly through the busy marketplace, inconspicuously sliding between aggressive market vendors and their hurried patrons, barely stirring the dust amidst his elegant stride. A package wrapped in delicate fabric was clutched in his fist, which was clenched so tightly his knuckles had whitened. He would not lose the gift he held in his hand because it represented everything; it was his future, his life, his soul. To loosen his hold for a moment could see it lost forever in the sea of trampling bodies eagerly bartering for their weekly fare and feed their families. The sun was hot above them causing the bodies writhing amongst the hustle to shine with perspiration, the thick smell of a hard day's labour emanating from the crowd. So many voices thundered around him that, if he wasn't otherwise distracted, he may have moaned at the volume as the noise beat against his ears.

Once he'd cleared the crowd, he continued his journey towards the edge of the village where the walls bounding his property stood tall and imposing. As he approached and the guards stationed at the gate recognised his figure they immediately stood at attention, sweat flying from their brows at the speed of their movement. A path was cleared for him as he entered casually and without introduction, ascending the stairs beyond the protective walls to the large stone entryway that opened into his lavish home. The floor was constructed of huge sandstone blocks that had been sanded smooth beneath his feet and shone, freshly polished to await his arrival. Enormous marble pillars ringed the expanse of the formal entry room, each standing five feet thick and stretching twelve feet high to reach the heightened ceilings. White silk fabrics hung from the ceiling between each pillar to elegantly frame the room and create a comfortable, simple but elegant feel. The room was cleared in the centre to allow for dancing and performance, with a stage in the back right corner to accommodate musicians. The remainder of the room was framed with comfortable daybeds decorated with velvet and silk cushions for relaxation or to provide a space to sit and enjoy a performance.

Elegantly draped over one such daybed was a young woman, just gone eighteen years, with an exotic beauty so rare to behold in this part of the world and heightened by her youth. Her hair was a deep chestnut and curled in rings down her back to stop just above her buttocks, some of her locks falling across her chest in her relaxed position. Her lips were red as rubies, supple and juicy with her top lip only slightly more full than the bottom and capable of curling into a smile that made men of all ages weak at the knees. Her body was beyond words; she had slender, dainty limbs with legs so long it should be criminal. Her breasts were ample and simply irresistible when combined with her tapered waist and curvaceous hips well developed for childbearing. She was the epitome of Italian beauty and he often experienced moments of disbelief that, at twenty years her senior, he earn her affections.

The attire she wore was little, as was the norm in the heat of Italy where they had made their home. Her olive skin was draped in thin silks that fell loosely over both of her breasts before synching at her waist and hung in loose strips below, exposing her long legs and sandals that wrapped from her ankles to her knees. The exposed flesh of her chest boasted a prominent scar from her breast bone to her navel and his heart ached, as it always did, as he recalled the ruthless monsters that had marred her flesh and the satisfaction he had taken in making them pay for that indiscretion with their lives. Her eyes were closed as four servants played music with their string instruments in the background, as if she was drifting into some unseen world, a smile playing on her delicate lips as she floated.

Her name escaped his lips in a whisper overflowing with desire and adoration as he took in her form for the first time in months, "Isabella". He had missed her more than he could describe and all other words had escaped him. At the sound of his voice, her eyes shot open and she stood to greet her beloved, racing towards him.  
"Caius, my love. I have missed you so." Her voice was delicate and airy, matching her outward appearance. He was before her in an instant, wrapping his arms around her frame and bringing her lips to his in a passionate embrace as her arms closed around him also. After some time, he pulled away from her to allow them both to breathe, gasping for air but unwilling to be too far apart. "Forgive me, my love. I did not wish to be gone so long. Pray this will be the last time I am called away on business for some months." His voice was no longer whispered but rough and full of emotion as his curled fingers stroked the soft skin of her face. His apology was followed by another passionate exchange as the servants continued playing their music while averting their eyes to their master's demonstration, as was expected of them.

Caius, a merchant originally from Greece, traded in fine jewels, exotic fruits and livestock. He had travelled to Italy many times in his years and found great success and wealth, while enjoying the pleasures the local women had to offer. Until he'd met Isabella. She was the daughter of a fishmonger and came from humble means. She was helping her father in his market stall when Caius had arrived from one of his many journeys abroad and he'd noticed her immediately as he wandered the marketplace. Her beauty was unrivalled, unlike anything he'd ever seen before in his travels. He'd been struck by her looks and approached her immediately, intending to procure time alone with her while he was in the country. What he hadn't anticipated was her wit, her intelligence and utter lack of concern for his position or his substantial wealth. She had careful, calculating eyes the colour of oak, marbled with specs of gold that shone with humour and a playful wickedness he had never beheld before. She denied his advances as though he was a pauper, bearing no mind to his position as the countless women before her had and this only enthralled Caius more. Her unconcerned rejection of him near drove him to insanity and he began making bold gestures to gain her attention.

First, he'd built the house that they now shared. He'd purchased land with the most favourable view of the ocean and city beyond and built a house grander than had ever been erected in Italy or Greece, a physical monument to demonstrate his wealth. This did not impress her and she failed to attend the many lavish parties he threw for her benefit once construction was complete. Next, he made a sizable donation to her father's business and procured many favourable business partners for him, for which she was grateful on her father's behalf but saw for the brazen attempt that it was. He showered her with gifts of jewellery and silks, bringing her exotic delicacies from around the world whenever he returned from his travels, all of which she refused to accept, driving him to continual frustration. She remained unconvinced of his genuine intent and rebuked his advances, all the while making him fall further and further in love with her. What had begun as a lustful desire had developed into a fervent need for her affections and he felt as if he would die if she did not return his feelings for her and with each rejection his heart ached in earnest. It had taken Isabella nearly losing her life before she had realised her devotion to him and they had been inseparable ever since.

After a few moments enjoying his memories of his beloved, Caius pulled away long enough to bring the package he'd been clutching in his fist between them. He slowly unwrapped the delicate fabric to reveal a ring of gold set with a single ruby eight carat in size and framed with sparkling white diamonds of varying shapes and sizes. The ring was priceless, she could tell, but she did not care for its size or value, only for what it represented.  
"Isabella, I love you. Please be my wife?" He was filled with emotion as he presented his greatest gift to her, not bothering for a lengthy declaration as it wasn't needed; she knew how he adored her. She accepted with tears in her eyes and allowed him to slide the ring onto her finger. She wanted nothing more than to become his wife.

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Weeks later, Caius and Isabella were wed in a ceremony that saw everyone from their village attend. Noblemen and Caius' other wealthy patriots travelled from around the world to witness the union of the pair and celebrate their marriage, bringing with them priceless and exotic gifts. Caius had no family to speak of, Isabella had only her father and no siblings but their friends and business associates were many so the party was vast and lavish.

Isabella was adorned in a dress of rich silks, which swirled and flowed around her figure as she moved in a way that drove Caius crazy with desire. The fabrics were elegant and rare, boasting vibrant red, gold and white and accentuating the only jewellery she wore - the ring her new husband had gifted her when he had asked for her to join him in marriage. She was not fickle and did not care for adorning herself or her husband in jewels, only interested in enjoying the happiest time of her life as she became joined with her beloved. Isabella and Caius danced together and laughed as servants played beautiful music on their string instruments and wine flowed freely among the hundreds of guests in attendance. Vast platters of exotic fruits and delicacies were offered to guests around the room enjoy with their wine as the moon rose higher in the night sky and the party swelled louder and more lively.

Caius laughed animatedly as he danced with his wife, lines creasing around his eyes as he smiled, losing himself in Isabella's eyes, which were filled with adoration and staring straight back at him. He had wrapped himself around her and twirled their bodies around and around the room, delighting in her responding peals of delight. She had a laugh that reminded him of gentle birdsong on a spring morning, lively and delicate. It filled his heart with love and desire to see her enjoying herself so, though he could hardly believe his good fortune in managing to achieve what he'd once thought impossible in marrying his beloved.  
"What are you so lost in thought about, dear husband?" She whispered in his ear, her lips brushing suggestively against his neck and causing gooseflesh to spread across his skin at the contact.  
"I am simply marveling at my good fortune, my darling wife. I can hardly believe that you are now my wife. Have I told you before just how much I worship you?" She laughed again, moving to wrap her arms around his neck as they continue to twirl and sway.  
"You've mentioned it once or twice, I believe. I adore you, Caius. You have made me the happiest woman in the world." She followed her declaration by wrapping herself more firmly around him and kissing him soundly. Cheers erupted from the crowd at the display and it was minutes before the animated music broke them from their embrace and they began dancing again. For now, all was right in the world.


End file.
